Why am I not making money in poker?

[Mario7]

Well, it's, as mentioned, every beginner's dream to win money playing poker. However, the reality is brutal - only somewhere between 5-30% of players are profitable players (as also mentioned).

Of course, you need to be better than your opponents, but the main factor here is rake - you need to beat it. And the rake in microstakes online poker, according to different sources and calculations, is 10 to 30 bb/100. So, beating your opponents and making let's say 15 bb/100 pre-rake does not mean you are a profitable player! It can still not be enough - you need to be BETTER! And this is why it is so hard.

 

[pltelles]

There's also time that I don't earn enough. It's tiring.

 

[Academico]

There can be many reasons. Sometimes it’s simply variance—bad runs happen even to good players. But often it comes down to gaps in strategy, playing at the wrong stakes, poor bankroll management, or letting emotions influence decisions. Poker is a skill game mixed with luck, so long-term results depend heavily on constant study, reviewing your hands, and learning from mistakes. If you treat it seriously—analyzing your play, managing risk, and staying disciplined—you’ll start to see whether the issue is just short-term luck or areas where you can actually improve.

 

[rufininha14]

Every beginning is difficult but don't get discouraged, when I started I also had almost no gains, but keep playing and the experience will come and this will help you a lot. It is also necessary to study, watch several videos on YouTube of the players you like, take notes on your opponents when you can, this helps a lot, always be attentive and try to read your opponents by seeing how they play, but if you persist the results will come.

 

[Tero]

Just a little follow up to your answer.

You're not wrong that people will post bad takes, but is this really a reason not to do it? Sure not everyone will give good feedback, but @fundiver199 will, so you'll get at valuable input from at least one person. Why not just ignore the rest? (Or a bunch of the rest, anyway; it's not like no one else ever posts good takes!) I think if you just ask people to explain their takes, you'll probably be able to figure out which of it you should take seriously.

And this is where we get into human nature. People tend to side with opinions that back up their own views.
So for example, if a player posts a hand that he thought he played well (but he didn't) and couple of comments say "Yes, you did right". Then comes along a third person with a completely different view. Which side the OP is going to believe?
In worst case lousy feedback simply enforces bad plays.

 

[choprav]

Sometimes I catch myself thinking: why am I still not making money in poker the way I want to? I read articles, watch videos, try to study ranges and math, but the results just don’t match my expectations. On one hand, I know poker is a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t expect instant success here. But on the other hand, there’s always that voice inside: “What am I doing wrong?”

I put in hours at the tables, but I still notice how emotions creep into my decisions. Sometimes I want to chase losses, and deep down I realize those moments are what ruin my bankroll. Maybe the real issue is discipline? Maybe I’m not strict enough with myself yet.

Another thing is expectations. Many beginners (myself included at first) believe poker is an easy way to make money. But the truth is, it’s anything but easy. It’s hard work. It’s constant studying, accepting downswings, and facing your own weaknesses over and over again.

Maybe the real answer is patience. Maybe my current level just isn’t enough yet to win consistently, and I simply need to keep going, keep grinding, keep learning.

So here’s my question to you, guys: why do you think so many players, even the ones who really try, still don’t end up making money? Is it just bad luck, mental leaks, or the fact that they aren’t ready to put in as much work as this game demands?

I wouldn't underestimate the skill and time required to put into it to become a winning player- taken me years ..

 

[Peteski84]

Why do people expect to automatically earn money through poker? They don't expect the losses and only expect to win.

 

[Dimidrol2]

It's still fun to win, but earning money is very difficult.

 

[RodrigoMartins]

I think it’s a mix of all those factors. Poker is a tough game — even when you study a lot, it takes time to really apply what you’ve learned and stay disciplined under pressure. Many players lose because of mental leaks like tilt or chasing losses, even if their strategy is solid.
Also, expectations play a huge role. A lot of people underestimate how much work and volume it takes to build a real edge. In my experience, patience and strict bankroll management are just as important as knowing the math and ranges.

 

[ThorSAutor]

There are a few common reasons players struggle to profit:

Playing too many hands – Loose play bleeds chips. Tighten up your range.

Lack of bankroll management – If you’re playing above your limits, variance will crush you.

Tilt and emotional play – Bad beats lead to bad decisions if you can’t reset.

Not studying enough – Winning players constantly review hands, study ranges, and learn new strategies.

Ignoring position – Playing out of position too often is a silent bankroll killer.

Underestimating variance – Even good players can run bad for weeks. If your fundamentals aren’t solid, variance looks like bad luck but is often bad play.

Poker is a long-term skill game. If you’re not making money, it’s probably a mix of these factors. Start tracking your sessions, review hands, and focus on small improvements each day.

Yes, friend. You nailed it! Those are exactly the obstacles I am repeatedly struggeling with. I will Work in that, thank for pointing it out.

 

[ScoobyEdu]

Sometimes I catch myself thinking: why am I still not making money in poker the way I want to? I read articles, watch videos, try to study ranges and math, but the results just don’t match my expectations. On one hand, I know poker is a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t expect instant success here. But on the other hand, there’s always that voice inside: “What am I doing wrong?”

I put in hours at the tables, but I still notice how emotions creep into my decisions. Sometimes I want to chase losses, and deep down I realize those moments are what ruin my bankroll. Maybe the real issue is discipline? Maybe I’m not strict enough with myself yet.

Another thing is expectations. Many beginners (myself included at first) believe poker is an easy way to make money. But the truth is, it’s anything but easy. It’s hard work. It’s constant studying, accepting downswings, and facing your own weaknesses over and over again.

Maybe the real answer is patience. Maybe my current level just isn’t enough yet to win consistently, and I simply need to keep going, keep grinding, keep learning.

So here’s my question to you, guys: why do you think so many players, even the ones who really try, still don’t end up making money? Is it just bad luck, mental leaks, or the fact that they aren’t ready to put in as much work as this game demands?

If emotions still get the best of you, that's probably what you need to work on. Another thing is not playing with the outcome in mind, but rather, doing what needs to be done.
Study the hands that don't get raised and what to do.
Evaluate your conditioning, because often at the beginning of your poker career, the most important moment of the tournament, the ITM, fatigue leads to the worst decisions.
And it's worth evaluating whether you're playing the same way from start to finish, because at each stage of the game, we have to adjust our game; there's no point in just thinking about a recipe.
And learn to study the players, take notes on them...

 

[s0ftdumps]

Sometimes I catch myself thinking: why am I still not making money in poker the way I want to? I read articles, watch videos, try to study ranges and math, but the results just don’t match my expectations. On one hand, I know poker is a marathon, not a sprint. You can’t expect instant success here. But on the other hand, there’s always that voice inside: “What am I doing wrong?”

I put in hours at the tables, but I still notice how emotions creep into my decisions. Sometimes I want to chase losses, and deep down I realize those moments are what ruin my bankroll. Maybe the real issue is discipline? Maybe I’m not strict enough with myself yet.

Another thing is expectations. Many beginners (myself included at first) believe poker is an easy way to make money. But the truth is, it’s anything but easy. It’s hard work. It’s constant studying, accepting downswings, and facing your own weaknesses over and over again.

Maybe the real answer is patience. Maybe my current level just isn’t enough yet to win consistently, and I simply need to keep going, keep grinding, keep learning.

So here’s my question to you, guys: why do you think so many players, even the ones who really try, still don’t end up making money? Is it just bad luck, mental leaks, or the fact that they aren’t ready to put in as much work as this game demands?

From what you described, discipline and expectations seem to be the biggest factors. Most people who do not end up profitable either tilt too often and let emotions dictate their play, expect the game to pay them too quickly and burn out, or are not ready to put in the years of steady study and volume it takes to get good.

Luck obviously plays a role in the short term, but over the long run, discipline and mental toughness matter more. If you can keep improving little by little, stay patient during downswings, and avoid bankroll killing mistakes, you will already be ahead of most players.

 

[primrose]

Why do people expect to automatically earn money through poker? They don't expect the losses and only expect to win.

I think the expectation makes some sense. If you've been slightly losing after playing for 2 months, you may expect to be at least slightly winning after playing for 10 years. In the same way that if you were slightly below average in your chess club after 2 months, you'd expect to be above average after 10 years. But it doesn't work that way in poker because playing doesn't help you improve.

(In a different thread, OP said they only play on their phone, so all this is kinda moot anyway.)

 

[andron205]

To make a decent amount of money playing poker, you need a deeper understanding and skills that only develop over time.